BOWIE, Md. — Bowie State (12-14, 10-9 CIAA) lost to Shaw (10-17, 10-9 CIAA) 3-2 on Thursday inside A.C. Jordan Arena. The Bulldogs forced a fifth set with a fourth-set rally from a 13-12 deficit to a 17-14 lead before taking the set 25-23, but Shaw won the deciding set 15-8.
With the loss, Bowie State is now tied with Shaw for sixth place in the conference standings.
The Bulldogs worked out of an early 2-1 deficit in the first set, tying it on a Taylor Johnson kill from Gabrielle Hale before four straight points on Hale's serve, capped by Melisa Anacius' block, made it 6-2. Kills by Madyson Brinson and Abena Asomani-Martin helped BSU stay in front, and a pair of Shaw attack errors pushed the score to 13-7. The Lady Bears cut into the margin with kills from Leana Gould, Justus Alexander and Tatiyana Stevenson, then tied the set at 15-15 on a Stevenson service ace. An Anacius kill and a Hale ace put the Bulldogs back ahead 17-15, but Shaw moved in front 19-17, later led 23-19 and, after BSU closed within 23-22, finished the set on a Mary Barnes kill and Alexander ace for a 25-22 win.
BSU broke a 1-1 tie with eight straight points, as Asomani-Martin had two kills during the stretch and Johnson served seven consecutive points, including an ace, to make it 9-1. The Bulldogs kept the margin up through the middle of the set, getting a Trinity Loundmon ace, a Payton Swinton kill and an Amara Pope kill before Asomani-Martin's ace pushed the score to 18-5. Shaw answered from 19-6 with six straight points, including kills by Kamaria Sanders, Taelin Connolley and Stevenson, to cut the deficit to 19-12. Swinton stopped the run with a kill, BSU moved to 24-15 on a Shaw setting error, and an attack error closed the set at 25-15.
Johnson's opening kill and an Anacius block helped the Bulldogs move ahead 3-1, but Shaw answered with a Sanders kill, a Jasmine Roberson service ace and an Alexander kill to take a 4-3 lead. BSU pulled even at 7-7 on Hale's kill from Asomani-Martin, and after an Asomani-Martin kill kept it within 9-8, Shaw scored five straight points to build a 14-8 lead. The Bulldogs stopped that stretch on a Shaw service error and later added kills from Johnson and Asomani-Martin plus a Pope block, but SU moved ahead 20-13 with help from kills by Gould and Asia Olivera. After Shaw led 21-14, BSU took three straight points to get within 21-17, but Shaw reached set point on a Sanders kill and closed the set 25-18 on a block by Sanders and Sydni Hunter.
The Bulldogs built an early 9-5 lead with kills from Hale, Asomani-Martin and Swinton, but Shaw answered with four straight points behind two Barnes aces to tie the set at 9-9. After Shaw moved in front 11-10 and the teams' traded points to 14-14, BSU scored seven straight, including six on Mil'lanni Marte's serve, with blocks involving Asomani-Martin and Anacius before kills from Anacius and Swinton made it 21-14. The Bulldogs reached set point at 24-19, Shaw cut the margin to 24-23, and Spring Terry finished the set with a kill from Hale for a 25-23 win.
BSU started the fifth set with a point on a Shaw attack error, but the Lady Bears moved from a 1-1 tie to a 6-1 lead with kills by Sanders and Connolley and three straight Olivera service aces. After Shaw went ahead 8-2 on a Hunter kill, Swinton answered from Hale, but a service error and two BSU attack errors made it 11-3. Anacius and Swinton added kills around Shaw points, and a SU setting error brought the Bulldogs within 13-6 before Gould's kill pushed Shaw to 14-6. Hale and Swinton followed with consecutive Bulldogs kills to make it 14-8, but Sanders ended the set with a kill for Shaw's 15-8 win.
Asomani-Martin recorded 10 kills, a team-high 17 digs and three total blocks. Hale finished with 28 assists and added three kills, three digs and a service ace. Anacius posted five kills and led the Bulldogs with five total blocks. Marte collected 16 digs and added three assists.
Up next, Bowie State travels to Lincoln (PA) University on Monday, Nov. 2, for a conference rematch at 6 p.m.
For the most up-to-date information on Bowie State Athletics and its 14 varsity sport teams, please visit bsubulldogs.com.
